Boeing Said Shopping Rocketdyne

The Los Angeles Daily News

"http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20950~2198544,00.html"

says Boeing is thinking about selling Rocketdyne. Could
this be the beginning of a Boeing pullout from the space
business?

- Ed Kyle

"ed kyle" wrote in message
om...
The Los Angeles Daily News

"http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20950~2198544,00.html"

says Boeing is thinking about selling Rocketdyne. Could
this be the beginning of a Boeing pullout from the space
business?

- Ed Kyle

You watch; the space economy will get back on its feet and Boeing will say
it was never serious about the possibility of selling Rocketdyne.
Considering the programs Rocketdyne supports, it's unlikely to happen
anyway - most of their engines are used on Boeing lv's.

--
Alan Erskine
We can get people to the Moon in five years,
not the fifteen GWB proposes.
Give NASA a real challenge

"Alan Erskine" wrote in message ...

You watch; the space economy will get back on its feet and Boeing will say
it was never serious about the possibility of selling Rocketdyne.
Considering the programs Rocketdyne supports, it's unlikely to happen
anyway - most of their engines are used on Boeing lv's.

Problem is that Rocketdyne's business is shrinking.
Until recently, its efforts included RS-27 (Delta 2),
MA-5A (Atlas 2), RS-68 (Delta 4), SSME (STS) and the
advanced hydrocarbon development effort for NASA.
Now it has only RS-27, an RS-68 effort that is vastly
smaller than predicted, and the dead-end SSME project.
There is also the MB-60 upper stage engine project, but
that is mostly a Mitsubishi effort. RS-27 is an
ancient (50 year old) design that originated during
the Navaho pilotless bomber project. I don't know of
any Rocketdyne efforts to develop new propulsion
technology right now.

Could Mitsubishi buy Rocketdyne?

- Ed Kyle

"ed kyle" wrote in message
om...
"Alan Erskine" wrote in message
...

You watch; the space economy will get back on its feet and Boeing will
say
it was never serious about the possibility of selling Rocketdyne.
Considering the programs Rocketdyne supports, it's unlikely to happen
anyway - most of their engines are used on Boeing lv's.

Problem is that Rocketdyne's business is shrinking.
Until recently, its efforts included RS-27 (Delta 2),
MA-5A (Atlas 2), RS-68 (Delta 4), SSME (STS) and the
advanced hydrocarbon development effort for NASA.
Now it has only RS-27, an RS-68 effort that is vastly
smaller than predicted, and the dead-end SSME project.
There is also the MB-60 upper stage engine project, but
that is mostly a Mitsubishi effort. RS-27 is an
ancient (50 year old) design that originated during
the Navaho pilotless bomber project. I don't know of
any Rocketdyne efforts to develop new propulsion
technology right now.

Could Mitsubishi buy Rocketdyne?

- Ed Kyle

All good points which might explain all the Boeing interest in enlarged
versions of the Delta IV.

As for ownership, what about that "50%" rule?

What about P&W?
--
Alan Erskine
We can get people to the Moon in five years,
not the fifteen GWB proposes.
Give NASA a real challenge

"Alan Erskine" wrote in message ...

As for [Rocketdyne] ownership, what about that "50%" rule?


Good point. A U.S. company will need to own most of Rocketdyne.

What about P&W?

Possible, but note that Pratt is owned by United Technologies.
Other possiblities might be Alliant Technologies (ATK) (which
is currently a solid-motor-only outfit) and Aerojet/GenCorp,
which recently shut down its long-running Titan engine line.
Aerojet produces both the Delta 2 second stage engine and the
Atlas 5 solid rocket boosters, so it is a sort of "independant"
outfit that might be a good match for Rocketdyne.

- Ed Kyle

In article ,
ed kyle wrote:
What about P&W?

Possible, but note that Pratt is owned by United Technologies.

Also, for a company like Rocketdyne, government approval will at least be
a factor and might be mandatory... and the government would probably
prefer to avoid reducing the number of liquid-rocket-engine companies any
further, which weighs against P&W (and, to a lesser extent, against
Aerojet).
--
"Think outside the box -- the box isn't our friend." | Henry Spencer
-- George Herbert |